Of Cats and Brats
by Unique Sandwich
Summary: Set during episode 27 (Karupin's Adventure), Momo and Ryoma observe each other while playing tennis--and come to surprising conclusions.


**Of Cats and Brats**  
By Kelsey  
  
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis, sadly, does not belong to me.  
  
Warnings: Enough sugary sweetness to give you cavities. Karupin the convenient plot device, oops, matchmaker. ^_~ Also, shounen ai.  
  
Notes: Set during episode 27, after Momo finds Karupin and the boys are playing tennis in the Echizen backyard. ^^ These are actually two one-shots that go together. The first is from Ryoma's POV and the second is from Momo's.  
  
---  
  
I've heard the phrase "I'm so happy I could kiss you!" before, but I've never uttered it. I never had cause to. I never had anyone I'd consider kissing.  
  
Until now, that is.  
  
I don't know what did it; several things could have. Asking me what was wrong and actually caring about the answer. Lending me his bike just so I could find my cat. Being understanding and being kind and just being _himself_, because that's Momo-senpai. And then he went and found Karupin and brought him back with a smile and if the others hadn't been there, I would have kissed him. I would have.  
  
And that scares me.  
  
I'm not good at talking to people. I'm not _interested_ in talking to most people, but that's beside the point. Now I've got this feeling knocking around the inside of my ribs, in time with my pulse, and I don't know how to say it. It was all I could do to thank him--telling I have feelings for him would be well-nigh impossible.  
  
"E~chi~zen, you done yet?"  
  
I leveled a glare at Momo-senpai over the rim of my juice can. "_You_ wanted this break, not me."  
  
"A guy's gotta eat!" he protested. "And you're not even eating! What's so fascinating about the front of my shirt?"  
  
I can never tell when I'm blushing until it's too late to pretend otherwise. So I tried to pretend that my red cheeks were a perfectly natural response to the question, and answered, "Just staring off into space." Which wasn't a lie. Exactly.  
  
He smiled at me, and I felt warmed from top to toe. This was really getting ridiculous. Momo-senpai was nice to _everyone_; I was nothing special.  
  
I wonder if he's noticed that he's special to _me._ That he's the best friend I've ever had, and seeing him always makes my day better. That should've been my first clue. That and my not minding being called a cute freshman.  
  
Much.  
  
"You're doing it again." One long finger tapped me on the nose, and I looked up, trying not to go cross-eyed.  
  
"Momo-senpai..."  
  
He sat down on the grass next to me. _Close_ to me. "You sure you're all right? It's not like you to be so spacey."  
  
I turned to look at him, whatever reply I'd formulated scattering on the breeze when I looked at him. I didn't even have the presence of mind to close my mouth and just glare at him for calling me spacey. I just looked, and my mouth was dry.  
  
Karupin, the cause of all this trouble, saved the situation by jumping onto Momo-senpai's lap, demanding immediate attention. Momo-senpai scratched behind his ears and he closed his eyes, purring. I felt mildly irritated at him for usurping Momo-senpai's attention like that, and sighed. This really _was_ getting ridiculous.  
  
"Echizen, what _is_ it? Jealous that your cat likes me better?" He grinned, his tone teasing. "Jealous that I like Karupin better than you?"  
  
I smirked; I couldn't help it. "Yes."  
  
There was a long pause. "Uh, Echizen..."  
  
I stood up. "Let's get back to playing, Momo-senpai."  
  
After another few moments, he followed me, this time heaving a sigh of his own.  
  
---(MOMO'S POV)---  
  
That little brat!  
  
Sometimes I wonder if I'll see Echizen's picture next to the definition of "brat" in the dictionary. He really is, especially with today's incident. Who are you jealous of, Echizen? I know how much you love that furball; you very well _could_ be jealous of me. Usurping your beloved cat's affections.  
  
You could be teasing me, but that's not much of a possibility. You're dense as a post when it comes to how people feel about you, and not at all that cruel besides. You're off in your little Echizen world, oblivious to the way people look at you. To the way _I've_ been looking at you, and can't stop, either. Believe me, I've tried. Hopeless crushes are no fun, and I've gotten pretty good at stopping them before they start, but you just snuck up on me and won me over completely. And you didn't even notice! Are you so used to winning _everything_, whether it's a tennis game or people's hearts?  
  
"Thinking deep thoughts?"  
  
Speaking of winning, the brat won't even let me have _one_ match today. Some reward for finding his cat! "Eh, nothing much, really," I lied.  
  
He smirked at me from across the tennis court. (Who has a tennis court in their backyard, anyway?) "Don't hurt yourself."  
  
"Don't smirk like that; your face'll stay that way," came my automatic retort. Honestly, Echizen brings out the immaturity in me. Or maybe it's just flirtation. Courting rituals of the elusive freshman regular...  
  
I must be going out of my mind.  
  
"At least _my_ face is worth looking at." We were walking closer to each other in order to yell directly into each other's faces, like always.  
  
I felt something tugging at my shoelace and looked down to see Karupin, obviously intent on eating my shoe. Why me? They're both out to get me! I picked up the furball (takes after his owner, so annoying--yet so lovable) and pointed. "This face is the face that returned your cat! You should be on your knees thanking me!"  
  
Something in Echizen's face changed, and his hands, previously on his hips, unclenched and dropped to the side. "...I really am grateful, Momo-senpai," he muttered, not looking up.  
  
Oh. _Oh._ He didn't want to say more than a little "thank you" in front of the others... almost scary, how well I can read him. I blinked a few times, almost not noticing Karupin's sudden mewl of protest. The furball jumped out of my arms to twine around Echizen's ankles, purring loudly. I can see why the brat loves that cat so much.  
  
_"Jealous that I like Karupin better than you?"  
  
"Yes."_  
  
What were you saying yes to, Echizen? You're not a tease, but I don't think you're quite _that_ dense. You must've noticed the lack of clarity about _which_ question you were answering.  
  
...When did we get so close together, by the way? There's only the net between us. Which one of us moved?  
  
"You know, Echizen..." I don't quite know what I'm saying. I don't know anything right now, period, and it's amazing. This is all happening in a reflex so automatic I don't have to think about it, like a tennis move I've perfected.  
  
"Hmm?" Echizen, your cheeks are red, and now I'm _really_ starting to wonder about you.  
  
"You might not be, but _I'm_ jealous of Karupin..."  
  
And then I kissed him, and I didn't have to think about that, either, because it came so naturally. Just bend at the waist and cup your chin in my hand and all of a sudden we're kissing, I'm kissing you and you're kissing me, and it's like the time I fell asleep with the sun shining directly on my mouth. But sunbeams don't reach out and take one of your hands and wrap their fingers through yours, and that was the best part, because _Echizen_ was _holding my hand_ and his hand felt so small and warm and right where it was.  
  
When I leaned back, unable to quite catch my breath, I couldn't stop grinning. I don't think I'll ever stop.  
  
"Momo-senpai..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'm ready for another game."  
  
Little brat...  
  



End file.
